Harold Camping lets out a hearty chuckle when he considers the people who believe the world will end in 2012. "That date has not one stitch of biblical authority," Camping says from the Oakland office where he runs Family Radio, an evangelical station that reaches listeners around the world. "It's like a fairy tale."

The real date for the end of times, he says, is in 2011.

The Mayans and the recent Hollywood movie "2012" have put the apocalypse in the popular mind this year, but Camping has been at this business for a long time. And while Armageddon is pop science or big-screen entertainment to many, Camping has followers from the Bay Area to China.

Camping, 88, has scrutinized the Bible for almost 70 years and says he has developed a mathematical system to interpret prophecies hidden within the Good Book. One night a few years ago, Camping, a civil engineer by trade, crunched the numbers and was stunned at what he'd found: The world will end May 21, 2011.

This is not the first time Camping has made a bold prediction about Judgment Day.

On Sept. 6, 1994, dozens of Camping's believers gathered inside Alameda's Veterans Memorial Building to await the return of Christ, an event Camping had promised for two years. Followers dressed children in their Sunday best and held Bibles open-faced toward heaven.

But the world did not end. Camping allowed that he may have made a mathematical error. He spent the next decade running new calculations, as well as overseeing a media company that has grown significantly in size and reach.

"We are now translated into 48 languages and have been transmitting into China on an AM station without getting jammed once," Camping said. "How can that happen without God's mercy?"

His office is flanked by satellite dishes in the parking lot that transmit his talk show, "Open Forum." In the Bay Area, he's heard on 610 AM, KEAR. Camping says his company owns about 55 stations in the United States alone, and that his message arrives on every continent.

'I'm looking forward to it'
Employees at the Oakland office run printing presses that publish Camping's pamphlets and books, and some wear T-shirts that read, "May 21, 2011." They're happy to talk about the day they believe their souls will be retrieved by Christ.

"I'm looking forward to it," said Ted Solomon, 60, who started listening to Camping in 1997. He's worked at Family Radio since 2004, making sure international translators properly dictate Camping's sermons.

"This world may have had an attraction to me at one time," Solomon said. "But now it's definitely lost its appeal."

Camping is a frail-looking man, and his voice is low and deep, but it can rise to dramatic peaks with a preacher's flair.

As a young man, he owned an East Bay construction business but longed to work as a servant of God. So he hit the books.

"Because I was an engineer, I was very interested in the numbers," he said. "I'd wonder, 'Why did God put this number in, or that number in?' It was not a question of unbelief, it was a question of, 'There must be a reason for it.' "

Code-breaking phenomenon
Camping is not the only man to see truths in the Bible hidden in the numbers. In the late 1990s, a code-breaking phenomenon took off, led by "The Bible Code," written by former Washington Post journalist Michael Drosnin.

Drosnin developed a technique that revealed prophecies within the Bible's text. A handful of biblical scholars have supported Drosnin's theory, lending it an air of legitimacy, and just as many scholars have decried it as farce.

One of Drosnin's more well-known findings is that a meteor will strike Earth in 2012, the same year some people believe the Mayan calendar marks the end of times, and the same year the "2012" action movie surmised the Earth's crust will destabilize and kill most humans.

Meaning in numbers
By Camping's understanding, the Bible was dictated by God and every word and number carries a spiritual significance. He noticed that particular numbers appeared in the Bible at the same time particular themes are discussed.

The number 5, Camping concluded, equals "atonement." Ten is "completeness." Seventeen means "heaven." Camping patiently explained how he reached his conclusion for May 21, 2011.

"Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.," he began. "Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that's 1,978 years."

Camping then multiplied 1,978 by 365.2422 days - the number of days in each solar year, not to be confused with a calendar year.

Next, Camping noted that April 1 to May 21 encompasses 51 days. Add 51 to the sum of previous multiplication total, and it equals 722,500.

Camping realized that (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) = 722,500.

Or put into words: (Atonement x Completeness x Heaven), squared.

"Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story," Camping said. "It's the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you're completely saved.

"I tell ya, I just about fell off my chair when I realized that," Camping said.

James Kreuger, author of "Secrets of the Apocalypse - Revealed," has been studying the end of times for 40 years and is familiar with Camping's work. While Kreuger agrees that the rapture is indeed coming, he disputes Camping's method.

"For all his learning, Camping makes a classic beginner's mistake when he sets a date for Christ's return," Kreuger wrote in an e-mail. "Jesus himself said in Matthew 24:36, 'Of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only.' "

'It is going to happen'
Camping's believers will have none of it.

Rick LaCasse, who attended the September 1994 service in Alameda, said that 15 years later, his faith in Camping has only strengthened.

"Evidently, he was wrong," LaCasse allowed, "but this time it is going to happen. There was some doubt last time, but we didn't have any proofs. This time we do."

Would his opinion of Camping change if May 21, 2011, ended without incident?

"I can't even think like that," LaCasse said. "Everything is too positive right now. There's too little time to think like that."

The San Francisco Chronicle reported a story yesterday in which Harold Camping, radio host, civil engineer and false prophet claimed that though his past prediction of the Rapture (Sept. 6, 1994, in case one is wondering!) went unfulfilled, it was simply a mathematical error in his calculations and after correcting this error, the true date for the Rapture will be May 21, 2011.

Camping, a civil engineer by trade, spoke about what got him into his mathematical interpretations of Scripture: "Because I was an engineer, I was very interested in the numbers," he said. "I'd wonder, 'Why did God put this number in, or that number in?' It was not a question of unbelief, it was a question of, 'There must be a reason for it.' "

He and his followers are quite confident about this prediction. However, there are two major errors they commit (among others):

1. Despite popular folk-theology, there is no such thing in Scripture as a "Rapture" where Jesus returns to pull the church out of the world in order spare it from 7 years of "The Great Tribulation." Many authors and teachers have made fortunes teaching this fictional doctrine ever since it was invented by John Nelson Darby in the 1800s. Yet it remains to this day completely absent from the pages of the Biblical texts themselves.

2. Even if by "rapture" Camping is referring to the return of Christ and final judgment (what Scripture actually is describing in the so-called 'rapture' passages), he ignores the plain teaching of Jesus Himself on the subject: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." (Matt. 24:36)

While Camping might be good with numerical calculations regarding zoning grids or traffic algorithms, his ability to read and understand the Bible is sorely lacking. The fact that he continues to influence his listeners is a testament to Biblical illiteracy among them.

46 Comments:

We have published a new article on Family Radio and Mr. Harold Camping on our Website - http://www.writeonnewjersey.com. The direct link to the article is http://www.writeonnewjersey.com/2010/02/countdown-to-judgment-2/. Please "spread the word" to interested parties.

I think it is terrible that Harold Camping is allowed to preach his false ideas. The end of the world and or the rapture will occur in God`s time,and only God`s time. Harold Camping tells people not to go to Church as it is now run by Satan. I pray that the good Lord will have mercy on his soul.

Harold is an angry man. In 1988 His church of attendence forbid him to teach in thier congregation because of his erroniose biblical teaching, as well as the 1994 prediction & book of the end of the world; Time has an end. He with serious anger, left the church because he wanted to be a teacher and the only way he could do that is on Family radio. He is not called of God to teach the Bible or has any valid acredidation as a teacher of any kind.The date he left the church he attended is the same date that he gives as the end of the church age and the start of the tribulation (1988). Both dates that he made up in his anger with the Church leaders that rightfully disqualified him as a teacher.

Who do you listen to? Listen to the Holy Spirit as you read the Bible (King James) for yourself.

1 John 2:27 says, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

harold camping is a lonely old man looking for attention. my mom remembers him as kids. he distorts the meening gods words in the bible and the bible warns of false seers. harold get with it you dont know we dont know it vwill happen when you dont know it. stop being a false prophet. lots of things seem to add up but are untrue.

this is a business man trying to keep his company alive. he has found his niche and he is using the end of times method that keeps people talking. the more people talk, the more he will profit. This is just a business decision.

That's right, it's just a business to him. He keeps asking for donations but people have asked him how close to his date he will be asking for them. His only reply is; "The people give because they WANT to give". That didn't answe the question. If HE believes that date in 2011 is right HE doesn't need them either. Let's watch how long he keeps asking people for money.

Of course he's a false prophet. He got something wrong he's false. True prophets never get things wrong. Jehovah's Witnesses got things wrong, they are false. Thing is, when Jesus said false prophets would come he wasn't kidding, there are thousands of them. So many call themselves The Messiah that you couldn' fill a large warehouse with them. Not enough beds as it were. Jesus was not kidding. And if they are finally here, so many so many. Then he is near, at the door. Ye virgins, trim your lamps and wait. The door will open and close. Don't be left outside, you know what he's gonna say, "I never knew you." Thank God that he is finally letting the devil off the leash. These will be trying times. Dangerous and evil. We must redeem the time.

Another RED FLAG about Harold Camping is if you search his name in GOOGLE NEWS, he's all over the place. The media is BIG TIME controlled and they print/show ONLY what they want the masses to know which is half and/or twisted truths or out right lies.

LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU we are admonished in Scripture.

May the Truth be revealed, may the lies be exposed, may the deceived wakeup, may the sinner repent, may the lost get saved and may the LORD Jesus Christ be glorified I pray.

Harold Camping was wrong in 1994, he will be wrong again. I have a free pamphlet that examines this teaching and its basis from a biblical perspective. Let's be like the Bereans who "searched the Scriptures daily, [to know] whether those things [that they were being taught] were so" (Acts 17:11).

You can receive a free copy of this pamphlet by sending a self-addressed, stamped (#10) envelope to:

Jesus said there will be false prophets and false apostles, no one has God's time clock, only he knows not man, woman or child nows the date of the end of days, not even the angels in heaven know the date or hour of Christ's return or the rapture for that matter, only God knows.

In December 1993 I met with Harold Camping along with two other ministers of the Gospel to appeal to him to reconsider his teaching about the Lord's return in September 1994. We spent three hours demonstrating from Scripture how his interpretations were in error. It was futile. Although he uses the language of humility, ("I don't know why the Lord chose to reveal these things to me.") he was and is filled with pride. He preys upon the weak and unstable. I know several who are under his spell. Unless the Lord opens their eyes they will not see, even when May 21st comes and goes. I heard him say this time, "If Christ does not return on May 21st, 2011 then the Bible is not true." WHAT NONSENSE! When we met with him in 1993 he said that anyone who did not teach the truth of Eternal Punishment in Hell was a false teacher. Now he himself has abandoned that doctrine. Our Lord warned us that MANY false teachers will arise and mislead MANY. May the Lord humble us by His grace and keep us walking low. He tells us that He seeks those who are humble, contrite in spirit and who tremble at His Word (Isa. 66:2). May we be such people!

I have really been bothered by what he has said i cried every night I know for myself that no man knows the day or hour but only god i cried every night but now i understand that god also said that there were false people out there preaching his word thank you god you told me not to worry so im not im ok now and i know that you have many more things in stored for me and my family that you will give us and maybe this is just a sign for me to get my life right and when may 22 its here i can say that god had blessed me to live my life to the fullest and i will soon get what god has for me

What a person he is. Really, if you have gotten it wrong before shouldn't that be enough humiliation?! Why try again and just be wrong again. Hopefully, on May 22 we can sue him and hopefully get him locked in the looney bin for life. 89 years old seems a little too old to be doing this. Am I the only one who belives this?

The Bible specificaly says in at least 2 places that no man knows the date of Judgement Day. It also says that there will be false prophets and pharasies. Why would he say that the Church is now being controlled by Satin when it is God's House????? He has so many things wrong about this prediciton too. First of all it says that Jesus will come again and all who stay here on Earth when he goes back to Heaven will experience 7 years of torture. Also Knock, Know Harold Camping...... There is a Hell and when you go there you don't get out!!!!!!!! Also so many things have to happen before Judgement Day. Such as a temple being built in Israel. The only bad thing, Harold Camping, is that everytime a stone for it is laid one is taken away or when the builders get into high gear someone bombs the place!!!!

I don't belive Harold Camping and neither should you. I will pray for him and his follwers. Please if you believe him turn away from his teachings.

The fact that there has been false prophets claiming the world will come to an end is very evident through out history even more so the last 150 years. I believe in the bible and that there is a god out there but I also believe that organized religion has been twisted and skewed to provide an income to priests, pastors, chaplains, even the pope. People are so easily persuaded and when a man steps forward and promises people salvation and that what they are teaching is the only way to a perfect afterlife (heaven). This man predicted that the end of the world would come in 1994 now 17 years later instead of being shunned and thought of as a false prophet he is held in high regard and believed to be a mouthpiece of god. The man has a 120 million dollar empire. He is a false prophet and should not be thought of by more than anything than a fairytale story maker. Sir if you read these posts i will also send you a post card on the 22 laughing at your insulence

Way to go person who did the post on 5/15/11 at 7:21 P.M.. The Bible also says that no one not even the angels or Jesus know what date or hour Judgement Day is. I know that you ment in the Bible it says that anyone who is left on Earth will experince 7 years of torture. Everyone let the news out and say that Harold Camping is a False Prophet and he is wrong. In addition he says that a world wide earthquake would occur at 6:00 P.M. on Saturday. I hope to be in church still by then.

Why would Harold Camping be asking for monetary donations if Judgement Day was on Saturday!!!!!????? In addition a math system is not always correct. FYI if he's done this before doesn't that give us a glimpse that he is probably wrong???!!! Also why would God give his house, THE CHURCH, away to Satin???? Harold Camping has so many flaws in his prediction so I would just say that he didn't realize that and is probably wrong!!!!

This guy is something serious I mean why would u go around saying things like this no man or women no the time and date of judgement day so let's be real brother stop this craziest and the people that's follOwering u they are sad cause the only person u should follower is god him self aleast believe in him and not human.because human is selfish and money hungry that's what's this all about think about it...in the name of Jesus amen....

I have no idea why ALL Christians are so upset with Harold Camping and Family Stations. It’s funny how we Christians fight amongst ourselves. Look at all the Christian Denominations we all use the same Bible and each denomination interprets it differently. So before calling Harold Camping false Prophet Look at your own Church taught beliefs and compare them throughout the entire scripture. I do believe you will find the majority of Churches should be considered False Prophets and teachers of a false Gospel.Have you ever listened to Family Stations and to The Open Forum? You know the most obnoxious people that call “Open Forum” are the Evangelical Christians and the Seventh Day Adventist. Harold Camping’s teachings I would say are not mainline but they do tie harmoniously with the Bible. Let’s ask ourselves a simple question. Does salvation come from God’s election meaning he chose us before the foundations of the World or someone repeating a man made salvation pray that the Pastor or Evangelist asks us to recite? Search the scriptures for yourself and ask God for guidance to lead you in the direction of truth. I will not lay out any scriptures for you, but if you are being honest with yourself and want to know truth you will allow the Holy Spirit to open your heart.Can you back any of these Teachings with the Bible verses and make sure they do not contradict with other parts of the Bible?1. Salvation by works, being good and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior2. Infant Baptism3. The age of accountability4. Slain in the Spirit5. Praying to Idols6. Denial that Jesus Christ is the only way or there are many ways to God (Rev Billy Graham, Rev Robert Schuller, and Joel Osteen all have suggested)7. Gospel of Inclusion8. Women and now Gay ordination for Pastoral Ministry9. Believing that taking Communion you are actually eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus.10. Conformation11. The Gospel of positive thinking and that God wants you to be happy, healthy and wealthy.12. Losing your salvation13. Other books beside the bible, like “The Book of Mormon”, “The Apocrypha”, “Presbyterian Book of Order which Trumps the Bible”We can go on. Look at these items. Are any of these items what your church believes and teaches? Hmmm, these are teachings of the Christian Churches. So who is the False Prophet or False Gospel? I will leave that up to you.

does this guy realize he drags more people away from God when he tries to do this stuff? i mean he only picks and chooses out of the bible. he dosn't witness to the people he just judges' them and tries to scare them. he also is so worried about his prediction he doesn't seem to have time to save the people but just to tell them a mathematically false prediction. kinda makes ya wonder if he does this just to get attention or sell books..fear is big business ......DO NOT FALL FOR THE WORDS OF MAN.BUT TRUST IN THE WORD OF GOD.. PS when a guy tries to do mathematics to figure out when God will return there is something defiantly wrong

David Campola, my Church does not teach things that are incorrect or wrong. We quote things right out of the Bible. Especially my Priest does this in his Homily. At my Saint Paul's Catholic Church we do not have anyone who is a False Prophet or do we make False Prophicies up. Why would you even say that if you wouldn't say that in front of your whole Church Congregation then why do it now??????

I don't know if Harold Camping can be called a false prophet because my understanding is that in the book 1994? he left open the possibility if it being at a later date. He was still studying. I do believe that He believes that May 21st, 2011 is the date. I will not mock him for that.

I have an elementary understanding of the Bible, but over the past few days, I have looked into some of his beliefs and can see how he came to them. Do I believe him? I don't know. It goes against so much of what I was brought up to believe. I'm also not certain that everything that's suppose to happen beforehand has happened.

I also wonder why people research to find the date of the end. I believe it leads to what I call "Christian for now" syndrome. I believe that God wants us to love him for him and not out of fear. Also he wants us to always to be ready for him.

I admit that I'm afraid. But when the end comes, be it today, May 21st, next year or whenever, I pray that he'll find me worthy of his love. In the end, I guess that's all any of us can do.

You know, I find it funny that he also said it would happen at 6:00 pm in each timezone. That means people would be brought up one timezone at a time. Does that really make sense? It would happen all at the same time, not at different times!

THE END OF THE WORLD IS NOT HERE!!!!!!!! HAROLD CAMPING SAID THAT EARTHQUAKES WOULD BEGIN AT 6PM LOCAL TIME STARTING IN NEW ZELAND!!!! NO EARTHQUAKES YET IN NEW ZELAND AND IN ADDITION IT IS ALREADY MAY 22 IN SOME PLACES AND THEY ARE ASLEEP IN THEIR BEDS!!!! SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!!!!

Harold Camping over looked one major key element in his prediction; he did not read Mark Chapter 13 verses 5-32. When I first read about Mr. Camping's prediction on the Internet I went and read what Jesus says about the Second Coming of Christ, Jesus clearly points it out in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also said Take heed lest any man deceive you.

Here's the latest headline and a bit of the May 29, 2011 article on Camping:

Harold Camping Ditches Evangelism, Focuses Only on the 'Saved'

Harold Camping is tossing the witnessing tracts and no longer focusing on bringing people to Jesus Christ. His main task now, he said, is to nurture those already saved.

For others, he suggested, it's already too late.

During his radio program "Open Forum" on Thursday, the Family Radio president received a call from a faithful listener who said she was disappointed and confused following the May 21 rapture dud. Camping had predicted that the rapture and Judgment Day would begin on May 21. When that didn't happen, he offered a new interpretation and said a spiritual judgment came upon the world that day, not a physical one.

The caller complained that though Camping declared that the work of salvation came to a close on May 21 and that no one can come to Christ anymore, Family Radio was sending out mixed signals with some announcers still preaching about salvation.

The 89-year-old Christian broadcaster responded, saying that they are "gradually beginning to check out our programs" and that they have shifted from Judgment Day to "feed my sheep."

More here: http://www.christianpost.com/news/harold-camping-ditches-evangelism-focuses-only-on-the-saved-50638/

Go to Family Radio's website. Really he is such a confusing man. maybe he said that because that is when he is going to die. Did you notice that he yet again ignored the fact of his plans that were supposed to occur on May the Twnty First twothousand and eleven. Smart people do not try to guess the date of Judgement Day.